The Holy State, Book 4 · Chapter 3
THOMAS WOLSEY Arch-Bishop of Yorke, Chancelovr of England Cardinal and Legate de Latere. He Died at Leicester Abby ▪ Anno Dni 1529. the 29th of November. W.M. sculp:
CHAP. 3. The life of Card. WOLSEY.
THomas Wolsey was born at Ipswich in Suffolk, whose father was a Butcher, and an *Parentem habuit virum p…ob um at lanium, Pol. Virgil. pag. 633.honest man, and was there brought up at school, where afterwards he built a beautifull Colledge. From Ipswich he went to Oxford, and from thence was preferred to be Schoolmaster to the Marques of Dorset's children, where he first learnt to be imperious over Noble bloud. By the stairs of a Parsonage or two he climbed up at last into the notice of Fox, Bishop of Winchester, and was received to be his Secretary.
There was at that time a faction at Court betwixt Bishop Fox and Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey. The Bishop being very old was scarce able to make good his party; yet it grieved him not so much to stoop to Nature as to the Earl his Corrivall: wherefore not able to manage the matter himself, he was contented to be the stock whereon Wolsey should be graffed, whom he made heir to his favour, commending him to King Henrie the seventh for one fit to serve a King, and command others: And hereupon he was entertained at Court.
Soon after, when Henrie his sonne came to the Crown, Wolsey quickly found the length of his foot, and fitted him with an easie shoe. He perswaded him that it was good accepting of pleasure whilest youth tender'd it: let him follow his sports, whilest Wolsey would undertake every night briefly to represent unto him all matters of moment which had passed the Counsell-table. For Princes are to take State-affairs not in the masse and whole bulk of them, but onelyonly the spirits thereof skilfully extracted. And hereupon the King referred all matters to Wolsey's managing, on whom he conferr'd the Bishopricks of Duresme, Winchester, and York, with some other spirituall promotions.
Nothing now hindred Wolsey's prospect to overlook the whole Court but the head of Edward Stafford Duke of Buckingham, who was high in birth, honour, and estate. For as for Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, he stood not in Wolsey's way, but rather besides then against him: Brandon being the Kings companion in pleasures, Wolsey his counsellour in policy; Brandon Favourite to Henrie, Wolsey to the King. Wolsey takes this Buckingham to task, who (otherwise a brave Gentleman) was proud and popular; and that tower is easily undermin'd whose foundation is hollow. His own folly with Wolsey's malice overthrew him. Vainglory ever lyeth at an open guard, and giveth much advantage of play to her enemies. The Duke is condemned of high treason, though rather corrivall with the King for his Clothes then his Crown, being excessively brave in apparell.
The ax that kills Buckingham frights all others, who turn contesting into complying with our Archbishop, now Cardinall, Legate à latere, and Lord-Chancellour. All the Judges stood at the barre of his devotion. His displeasure more feared then the Kings, whose anger though violent was placable; the Cardinalls of lesse furie, but more malice: yet in matters of Judicature he behaved himself commendably. I heare no widows sighes, nor see orphans tears in our Chronicles caused by him: sure in such cases wherein his private ends made him not a party, he was an excellent Justicer, as being too proud to be bribed, and too strong to be overborn.
Next he aspires to the Triple Grown; he onelyonly wants Holinesse, and must be Pope. Yet was it a great labour for a Tramountain to climbe over the Alps to S. Peters Chair; a long leap from York to Rome, and therefore he needed to take a good rise. Besides he used Charles the fift, Emperour, for his staff, gold he gave to the Romish Cardinalls, and they gave him golden promises, so that at last Wolsey perceived, both the Emperour and the Court of Rome delay'd and deluded him.
He is no fox whose den hath but one hole: Wolsey finding this way stopt, goes another way to work, and falls off to the French King, hoping by his help to obtain his desires. However if he help not himself, he would hinder Charles the Emperours designes; and revenge is a great preferment. Wherefore covertly he seeks to make a divorce betwixt Queen Katharine, Dowager, the Emperours Aunt, and King Henrie the eighth his Master.
Queen Katharines age was above her Husbands, her gravity above her age; more pious at her beads then pleasant in her bed, a better woman then a wife, and a fitter wife for any Prince then King Henrie. Wolsey by his instruments perswades the King to put her away, pleading they were so contiguous and near in kinred, they might not be made continuous (one flesh) in marriage, because she before had been wife to Prince Arthur the Kings brother. Besides, the King wanted a male heir, which he much desired.
Welcome whisperings are quickly heard. The King embraceth the motion: the matter is enter'd in the Romish Court, but long delayed; the Pope first meaning to divorce most of the gold from England in this tedious suit. But here Wolsey miscarried in the Masterpiece of his policy. For he hoped upon the divorce of King Henrie from Queen Katharine his wife (which with much adoe was effected) to advance a marriage betwixt him and the King of France his sister, thinking with their nuptiall ring to wed the King of France eternally to himself, and mould him for farther designes: whereas contrary to his expectation King Henrie fell in love with Anna Bullen, a Lady whole beauty exceeded her birth (though honourable) wit her beauty, piety all; one for his love not lust, so that there was no gathering of green fruit from her till marriage had ripened it: whereupon the King took her to wife.
Not long after followed the ruine of the Cardinall, caused by his own vitiousnesse, heightned by the envy of his Adversaries. He was caught in a Premunire for procuring to be Legate de latere, and advancing the Popes power against the Laws of the Realm; and eight other Articles were framed against him, for which we report the Reader to our *Fox Acts & Monuments▪ p. 996.Chronicles. The main was, his Ego & Rex meus, wherein he remembred his old profession of a Schoolmaster, and forgot his present estate of a Statesman. But as for some things laid to his charge, his friends plead, that where potent malice is Promoter, the accusations shall not want proof, though the proof may want truth. Well, the broad seal was taken from him, and some of his spirituall Preferments. Yet was he still left Bishop of Winchester, and Archbishop of York▪ so that the Kings goodnesse hitherto might have seemd rather to ease him of burthensome greatnesse, then to have deprived him of wealth or honour: which whether he did out of love to Wolsey, or fear of the Pope, I interpose no opinion.
Home now went Wolsey into Yorkshire, and lived at his Mannour of Cawood, where he wanted nothing the heart of man could desire for contentment. But great minds count every place a prison, which is not a Kings Court; and just it was that he which would not see his own happinesse, should therefore feel his own misery. He provided for his enstalling Archbishop State equivalent to a Kings Coronation, which his ambition revived other of his misdemeanours, and by command from the King he was arrested by the Earl of Northumberland, and so took his journeys up to London. By the way his soul was rackt betwixt different tidings; now hoysed up with hope of pardon, then instantly let down with news of the Kings displeasure, till at Leicester his heart was broken with these sudden and contrary motions. The Storie goes that he should breath out his soul with speeches to this effect, Had I been as carefull to serve the God of Heaven, as I have to comply to the will of my earthly King, God would not have left me in mine old age, as the other hath done.
His body swell'd after his death, as his mind did whilest he was living, which with other symptomes gave the suspicion that he poysoned himself. It will suffice us to observe, If a Great man much beloved dyeth suddenly, the report goes that others poysoned him: If he be generally hated, then that he poysoned himself. Sure never did a Great man fall with lesse pity. Some of his own servants with the feathers they got under him flew to other Masters. Most of the Clergy (more pitying his Profession then Person) were glad that the felling of this oke would cause the growth of much underwood.
Let Geometricians measure the vastnesse of his mind by the footsteps of his Buildings, Christ-Church White-Hall, Hampton-Court: And no wonder if some of these were not finished, seeing his life was rather broken off then ended. Sure King Henrie lived in two of his houses, and lies now in the third, I mean his Tombe at Windsor. In a word, in his prime he was the bias of the Christian world, drawing the bowl thereof to what side he pleased.